My French is pretty rusty and I am trying to arrange a bicycle rental over the phone with a French shop. They have cycles classique for rent, cinque vitesse. Did I interpret this correctly to mean it would be a basic touring bike with 5 speeds? Thanks.

Julie, 5 vitesses is 5-speed. Your guess is as good as mine as to what a "classic cycle" is, but then my bike knowledge is as rusty as your French. Good luck!

That would be my interpretation also.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

I'm amazed! 2 responses within 2 minutes of my posting. Thanks.

Bonjour Julie,<BR><BR>A "cycle classique 5 vitesses" might be a little heavy if you intend to use it for a long ride. Try to get something lighter with more speeds, you'll thank yourself when going uphill and facing the wind (ask for "un v&eacute;lo l&eacute;ger avec dix vitesses").<BR><BR>Have fun and be careful on the road.

You know, on second thought, I wonder why they are not using the term "v&eacute;lo" which is far more ordinary for a bicycle. I tried looking up the term "cycles classiques" on www.yahoo.fr and it seems to be used often to describe an event in equestrian jumping. Maybe just coincidence.<BR>

Hi<BR><BR>I think "classique" is to distinguish it from the now more popular VTT (velo tous terrain) or mountain bike.<BR><BR>Peter<BR>

Hi<BR><BR>This is not related to the bike question but I thought you guys might like to keep this site which would be handy when you need translation help for French, Spanish, German etc....<BR><BR>http://world.altavista.com/tr<BR><BR>Cheers.

topping<BR>

Thanks all! The cycle shop was outside St. Malo and we were looking at renting for a 5 to 6 day trip. <BR><BR>Florence,my bike at home is a 21 speed so I know what you are talking about. My problem has been finding cycle shops to contact about renting. There don't seem to be a lot of ways for me to find shops that rent.

Julie.<BR>I typed 'bicycle rentals france' into google and returned 7,750 hits.<BR>Please try again. I am sure you can find what you want.<BR>I was impressed by all the geriatric men on 'classic' ten speed racebikes in Normandy and Brittany. <BR>It made me think of 'A Year in Provence' and wonder how many bank heists were being planned.

Rand--<BR><BR>Thanks for the tip, but that's the problem. I've been searching and searching. Many of those 7,800 tips are related to vacation houses that state there is bike rental available in the area. But, most don't reference where.

Julie,<BR><BR>Ask them for a "v&eacute;lo de randonn&eacute;e avec au moins 10 vitesses" (cross-country bike with at least 10 speeds)<BR><BR>Here are all the addresses of bike rentals in Brittany http://marzina.free.fr/veloadresses.html<BR><BR>and the F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Fran&ccedil;aise de Cyclotourisme (French federation of bike tourism) http://www.ffct.org/<BR><BR>Good luck and have fun.

Florence--<BR><BR>A million thanks. Now I'll try those sites immediately.